Your guide to upcoming shows and reviews

Billy Elliot is based on the 2000 Film which won the BAFTA Award for the Best British Film. The play won both the Tony Award and Olivier Award for Best Musical. It is an inspirational story set in an English mining town during the miners’ strike of 1984-85. Billy Elliot journeys from the boxing ring to a ballet class to make his dreams come true while challenging the long held beliefs of his hometown.

The film is rated R for language and the play should be too. The cursing in this show is quite shocking and vulgar. It’s especially shocking to see the miners hurling profanities at the police while the young ballerinas dance around them. This scene showcases how large the cast is for this performance with most of the 35 cast members on stage. The choreography is impressive as all the moving pieces fit together.

The entire cast is fantastic. Here as just a few of the highlights. Ivan Bruns-Trukhin is athletically graceful as Older Billy. Peyton Owen practically steals the show as Michael Caffrey. Shanesia Davis as Mrs. Wilkinson is fierce. Sean Fortunato as Dad shows great range as he transforms from anti-ballet to Billy’s biggest supporter. Jenny McPherson as Grandma Dancer is fantastic. Gabriel Robert as Small Boy and Tommy Novak as Mr. Braithwaite are both hilarious. And lastly, Lincoln Seymour is excellent as Billy Elliot. Both his dancing and his acting are impressive.